The present invention relates to a modular wireform contactor assembly.
Various types of electrical connectors and/or contactors have been developed for a wide variety of applications found in the prior art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,065 discloses a socket connector for parallel circuit boards. The connector includes a connector body and a plurality of wireform contacts. The contacts may be positioned in the connector body and held in place by the resilience of the wireform and by a locking nib located in the connector body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,197 discloses an electrical connector and cable using spring grade wire. The connector includes a connector body having side walls that hold a plurality of wires in resilient contact with the connector body. The wires include a plurality of contact points positioned to contact printed circuit boards inserted into the connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,330 discloses a snap fit contact assembly. The assembly includes a connector body and a planar metallic contact having deflectable snap tabs that secure the contact within the connector body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,814 discloses a guide post of an electrical connector. The spring biased guide post is used to properly align the connector with a mating connector.
However, none of the prior art connectors or contactors disclose a modular assembly that may be used for a switching application to selectively couple circuits under dynamic conditions. In particular, the prior art contactors or connectors do not easily facilitate a perpendicular switching connection relative to a circuit board.
The present invention provides a wireform contactor assembly that includes a resilient, conductive wireform contactor and an associated carrier. The wireform contactor includes a pair of generally U-shaped members joined by a connecting portion. In one embodiment, the connecting portion is selectively severable to electrically isolate the two U-shaped members after assembly into the carrier. The connecting portion may be scored to facilitate severing the connection. The contactor may be positioned in a cantilever arrangement in the carrier and secured with a clip or other retaining means to provide selective sliding engagement with conductors associated with a sliding or extending member. A second contactor and carrier assembly may be provided at the remote end of the extending member to facilitate selective coupling of the conductors on the extending member to provide a switching function with movement perpendicular to a circuit board, for example.
The present invention includes a number of advantages. For example, the present invention may be used as an inexpensive cantilever style electrical contactor. The resilient contactor includes legs that facilitate easy assembly and self retention. In one embodiment, the shape of the contactor provides a center leg that can be used as a locator for assembly of the carrier to a printed circuit board. Stiffness of the wireform contactor allows ease of soldering the contactor to a printed circuit board. The connection portion joining the legs of the wireform contactor may be sheared or otherwise severed to electrically isolate the contactor legs if desired. The modular design of the carrier allows use as a sliding switch for switching perpendicular to a printed circuit board with the carrier fixed to the circuit board or positioned for movement along an extending element.
The above advantages and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.